this thread has gone like all others, appropriately up the ass of Rhectum as he and "the usual suspects" of "the chattering classes" go cheek to bowel with the usual beat up on how we can't afford to pay what they see as the Little Ozzie Battler.

but I said in post #4:

"The part that astounded me was just how much you can own/earn and still get some pension, ie it can hardly be called "welfare" for such people."

The truth is that maybe 80% of funds designated as Aged Pension goes to those who are not struggling at all, even some who are supping at the Smirk Pig Trough of the Future Fund, having put in a paltry 14% towards what they are taking out.

IF Aged Pension was only paid to those without an adequate income from super etc, we could afford to keep PROPER pensioners PROPERLY.

the amendments of sept 2009 at least started to address this absurdity with changes to the retraction rate, and I for one hope what Kevin 07 called "better targeting" will continue

DD take a breath, why use terms like that, our flamer JKJ does are you happy in that company?
As sure as the sun will come up talking about other posters as lessor beings is undeniable evidence the posters self confidence is miss placed.
Rechtub, you wander from red neck right wing to pure Socialist.
Did you think that out, government take all our super, then would it be safe?
Invest in infrastructure? what interest would we earn
Yours too or would you reserve the right to keep yours while making me contribute to low interest maybe risky government funds.
Now industry funds take little out of my earnings via super, some bosses BELIEVE ME put employees super in shonky funds that take BIG fees.
That CAN take the lot on exit, these funds and those bosses should be destroyed.
Free market drives the stock market, it drove super investments to highs we made big money.
So we have had two bad years, such is life our funds are safe but not if in the hands of people who are not accountable for them.
Your dad, he would be chuckling now you give evidence why he would not listen to you, rest in peace old fella I will try and straighten him out for you, keep an eye on your budding Socialist.

Belly
"...our funds are safe but not if in the hands of people who are not accountable for them."

When was the last time a politician sent you an account for the money they have taken from you, or caused to taken from you?

but I said in post #4:

Which backs up what I say. Work, play hard, spend hard, waste every cent and, you will be rewarded. On the other hand, try and save and you get dismissed.

Any wonder there is resentment in the way the current system works.

Belly, I would appreciate if you would refrain from mentioning my late father. Although we may have had differing views on unions and polotics, I loved him dearly.

Perhaps I should have worded my thread i bit better and said, 'Do you think you will be able to access your super without having the jump through hoops'.

I just feel that when we get there, 55, 60, or even 70 as some suggest, will we be able to draw any more than what is equivilent to the pension of the day?

good men share.
Well Belly,
That's very noble but try & tell Public Servants to share this mentality who use up the bulk of Super funding by denying the lower paid the opportunity to contribute in the first place. There is enough funding out there for everyone, the problem is the inequality in distribution.
We all pay tax & in this tax should be sufficient to fund pension. We must never abolish pension unless we get Government capable of running an economy which allows for self-funded retirement. Somehow I fail to envisage such a Government because there aren't sufficient voters with a caring mentality. It's all well & good to say we should fund our own retirement. Guess what ? Most of us do, it's just that our contributions are misused by the public service's excessive benefit schemes & Governments failure to protect pension & social security funds which again, are run by public servants..

individual, You are right. There is just so much wasted money in governments, at local, state and federal levels and, they are not accountable for their actions and, they still retire from office on a big fat lifestyle reward, regardless of how badly they performed.

Meanwhile, we the tax payers, the very ones who pay their wages and fund their retirement packages get screwed.

This is why I worry about our super.

This is why I feel we may well have to jump through hoops to get at it, esspecially if we want to live a life in retirement that is better than surviving.

I don't take much notice of what happens outside of QLD, other than on a federal level. But I can assure you that if Bligh and Rudd continue to hold the cheque books and continue along their wastefull ways, they may well have to turn to our savings (super) in the future as the dwindling tax payers simply won't be able to keep up with their compulsive, knee jerk spending habits.

Maybe it's already to late!